UW COLLEGES

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

 

10/7/2002

COURSE GUIDELINES

 

Course Title:   Topics in Geometry                                                                                         

Course No:   MAT 081                 No.  of Credits  3                                                             

Course No:   MAT 085                 No.  of Credits  3                                                             

Course No:   MAT 087                 No.  of Credits  3                                                             

Contact hrs/wk: Lecture 3             Lecture/Discussion                   Lab                                    

Course Prerequisites:  None                                                                                                 

 

Catalog description:

Designed for students who have not had high school geometry. Includes methods of proof, properties of simple plane figures, congruence, and similarity. This course is offered through a contractual arrangement with the local WTCS institution as Mat 085. This course is offered by the campus TRIO/minority/disadvantaged program as Mat 087.

 

Course content (list of topics normally covered).

Topics marked optional (*) may be covered at the discretion of the course instructor.

The Nature of Deductive Reasoning

Direct Proof

Postulates

Preparing for a Proof

* Indirect Proof

Points, Lines and Planes

The Ruler Postulate

Line Segments

Polygons

Perimeter and area of polygons

Rays and Angles

The Protractor Postulate

Complementary, Supplementary and Vertical Angles

Parallel and Perpendicular Lines

* Elementary Constructions

Congruent Triangles

Congruent Polygons

Isosceles Triangle Theorem

* Proving Triangles Congruent

* Proving Corresponding Parts Equal

* Triangle Constructions

Parallel Postulate

The Parallel Postulate

Consequences of the Parallel Postulate

Quadrilaterals

Parallelograms

Rectangles, Rhombi, Squares and Trapezoids

Area

Polygonal Regions

Squares, Rectangles and Triangles

Parallelograms and Trapezoids

The Right Triangle

Proportions in a Right Triangle

Isosceles and 30°-60° Right Triangles

The Pythagorean Theorem

Circles

Circles, Radii

Circumference and Area of Circles

*Chords and Tangents

*Central Angles and Arcs

*Inscribed and Secant Angles

*Tangent, Chord and Secant Segments

*Circle Constructions

* Sectors and Arcs

Solid Geometry

Lines and Planes in Space

Volumes of Solid Figures

* Inequalities

Exterior Angle Theorem

Triangle Side and Angle Inequalities

Similarity

Ratio and Proportion

Similar Polygons

Similar Triangle Theorem

Perimeters and Areas of Similar Polygons

* Regular Polygons

* Coordinate Geometry

Two-dimensional Coordinate Systems

Distance Formula

Parallel and Perpendicular Lines

Midpoint Formula

Coordinate Proofs

Content-based department proficiencies:

The successful student will:

w         recognize connections between geometry and real world objects.

w         understand the principles of inductive and deductive reasoning.

w         understand common geometric terminology and recognize geometric shapes.

w         be able to estimate, measure, and deduce measures of length, angles, area, and volume.

w         understand concepts relating to triangles and quadrilaterals.

w         know the Pythagorean Theorem and how to use it to determine lengths of sides in a right triangle.

w         be able to use formulas appropriately for finding perimeter, area, surface area and volume.

 

Colleges-wide proficiencies assigned to course:

w         Analyze, synthesize, evaluate and interpret information and ideas.

w         Construct and support hypotheses and arguments.

w         Solve quantitative and mathematical problems.

w         Interpret graphs, tables, and diagrams.

w         Integrate knowledge and experience to arrive at creative solutions.

w         Recognize fallacies and inconsistencies.

w         Write clearly, precisely, and in a well organized manner.

w         Develop a large and varied vocabulary.

w         Respond orally to questions and challenges.

 

Representative textbooks used for the courses:

College Geometry, Musser/Trimpe (Prentice Hall)

Elementary Geometry for College Students, 2nd ed., Alexander/Koeberlein (Houghton-Mifflin)

Geometry, Hirsch/Schoen (Scott, Foresman & Co.)

Geometry, 2nd ed., Jacobs (W.H. Freeman)

Informal Geometry, Smith (Addison-Wesley)